The whole gang tries to sympathise with me but they don't quite get it, Rhod's parents did split up but before he was around and Maddy really seems to have things upside down. Still life goes on I suppose, none of this crap stops me getting homework or having to keep my grades up in school. Well it's Chemistry now, time to learn about the alkali metals, you know: lithium, sodium, potassium and the rest. Chemistry isn't one of my favourite subjects but for a change this lesson is good. We get to see what happens to each metal in water, some of them fizz and spit. When we get lower down the periodic table we switch to watching a video, we soon see why, Rubidium is bad enough but Caesium is just plain nasty reacting so badly that it smashes the glass bowl, pretty cool in a destructive way.

In the last 20 minutes with Mr Walker summing up I find myself drifting off. I'm thinking about things at home when I hear Mum's voice.

"Drew, I'll be home soon, it'll be alright."

"Drew, Drew Bond."

"Yes Mum."

How embarrassed am I! Most of the class is laughing at me and I want the ground to swallow me, I just called my teacher 'mum'! He doesn't look to angry although I almost wish that he did.

"Quiet class."

Five minutes later he's done and the bell rings for lunch. I try to make a quick getaway but I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Drew, can I have a couple of minutes?"

Maddy tries to hang around with me but Mr Walker has other ideas.

"Miss Peters, Drew is big enough to look after himself."

"See you outside Drew."

Once she's gone he turns to me.

"I'm sorry sir."

"Don't worry about it Drew, I know what it's like, my parents split when I was about 10, it knocked me for six, I had a hard time concentrating on anything. Anyway what I wanted to say was if you need to talk to someone who has been there I'll listen. If you can't find me in the science block try Mr Wood's office and they'll find me. I promise that whatever you tell me stays with me, okay?"

"Yes sir."

"And Drew, try not to daydream too much in class."

"Sir."

I leave feeling slightly better about things, as soon as I'm outside Maddy accosts me.

"Dubya give you a hard time?"

"No it was scarier than that. He offered to listen if I needed to talk about Mum and Dad splitting up!"

"Wow that is scary."

The rest of the day goes by pretty smoothly, no more weird daydreams. Again dinner is strange, even though we got used to just the three of us round the table at least we knew that Mum would come back eventually, now we don't even have that. She's off with Dieter doing... no don't even think what she's doing.

I go round to Maddy's to do some homework and take my mind off things. It seems to work even if we do spend as much time chatting as working. I must be feeling more 'with it' because back home Dad says "You've perked up a bit since earlier son."

"I guess that's the effect Maddy has on me," I reply.

He looks like he's going to say something then thinks better of it.

I make myself a drink and sit down to enjoy it before I go to bed, as I sit there a reason for the look on Dad's face pops into my head. Surely he didn't think we had done anything like that. Maybe when we were older but not now and definitely not with Aunt Carol in the house. I finish my cocoa and head for my room, saying goodnight to Dad and Jules as I go. I'm not ready to sleep straight away so I begin to read some of my latest Pratchett book.

"Drew, Drew."

That can't be Mum's voice again can it?

"Drew love, I'll be home soon."

I want to answer but I can't. I hear a knock at the door.

"Drew, wakey wakey, you missed your alarm call."

"Thanks Muu.. Dad."

Uh oh, if I want to make it to school on time I had better put my skates on. Jules and I swap shifts in the bathroom, she looks as rough as I feel. Only time for a quick sluice then to the kitchen to make breakfast. Perfect timing, a couple of slices pop out of the toaster right as I walk in. Jules is already at the table eating hers, she's looking better than before,

I guess that's the wonders of makeup. She finishes first and I decide to eat my last slice on the run. I grab my stuff and get halfway to the door when Jules stops me. She has her small makeup bag in her hand.

"You need a little help today Drew," she says.

"Gaby may wear makeup, Drew doesn't," I spat back.

She grabs me by the arm and pulls me in front of a mirror.

"God I look like shit," I say. I really do look as rough as Jules did earlier, probably worse.

"Looks like we both had a bad night last night," Jules says. "Are you going to let me help you out now?"

I sigh and realise that she's right.

"Go on then."

She takes a finger, puts some stuff under my eyes and works it in. When she's done I take another look in the mirror and wow what a difference, you

could hardly tell I feel wasted. "Thanks sis, I still feel like death warmed up but at least I don't look like it."

"Tricks of the trade bro."

She passes me the little pot she used and tells me to hang on to it for later. I don't know if she means for Drew today or Gaby some other time but

I'm grateful whoever it's for. I meet Maddy on the way, we chat as we hurry along but she starts looking strangely at me after a few minutes. Just before we get to the school gates she whispers in my ear, "is Gaby with us today?"

"No way," I reply.

"Why the makeup?" she asked.

I panicked. "How did you spot that?"

"Calm down Drew, I've had bad mornings too and I've got to know you well enough to be able to spot things like that. Now stop avoiding the question

and confess."

So I told her how well I had or rather hadn't slept and that Jules had been just as bad. Of course I left out the bits about Mum's voice, no way I would tell anyone about that until I figure it out myself. After registration I have Maths, I'm not that great at it and the stuff we're doing is hard enough that I have to put all my energy into trying to understand it, no feeling sorry for myself and definitely no daydreams. I make it through to lunch without anything happening and join up with the rest of the gang. We finish eating and decide to find somewhere quiet to hang out for the rest of the time. It's here that Maddy does it to me again.

"Drew, I think you need to use that eye stuff," she says.

"Thanks Mad, why don't you just tell the whole school while you're at it?" I reply.

"I've been trying to get you to notice for the last five minutes," she says.

"Oh, I thought you had something in your eye."

"Drew," Maddy sighs.

Rhod and Ally exchange glances.

"What eye stuff, what's going on?" Bernie says.

So I fill in the blanks with the rest of the gang about how things are at home since Mum's bombshell.

"So Jules isn't sleeping well either?" asks Ally and I shake my head sadly.

"But she was still on her game and disguised it with this," Bernie says brandishing the pot that my sister gave me this morning, "I didn't even

notice."

"Well that's the reason she did it," I reply.

Meanwhile Ally is fishing into her bag and hands me a cotton wool pad.

"What's this for?"

"You need to take the old ma... stuff off before you reapply," she says.

"How come you have that in your schoolbag?" I ask.

"Oh, a couple of times we've forgotten to take our nail varnish off on a Sunday night. So it's either take it off on the way to school or get forced to take it off by whichever teacher spots it first."

Maddy looks funny at Ally and Rhod looks a bit uneasy.

"Anyway stop slacking and get on with it Drew," says Ally.

I use the pad to try to scrape it off and when I'm clean to Maddy's satisfaction I notice the rest of the gang has gone quiet.

"Is it that bad?" I say.

Bernie shows me using the mirror in her purse, I still look bad but not as bad as this morning. Everyone else acts like lookouts while Maddy discretely puts the gunk back on me. She takes a little bit longer than Jules but when she says I'm done I reckon it's as good as when Jules did it.

"Thanks Mad," I say.

"No problem Drew," she replies.

In the little bit of the lunch hour that remains I'm glad to move away from being the centre of attention, we start to make plans for who is going where after school. We think about going to Rhod's but Ally suggests that it is her turn. Things are finalised and we get back to the classrooms shortly before the first afternoon bell. For some reason the rest of the afternoon flies by, daydream free too! We all walk out of the school gates together and once we are a safe distance away Maddy takes her chance and checks the state of the eyestuff out.

"Looks okay to me," she pronouces.

"Thank god for that," I reply.

Jules is already back home by the time I get there to grab a bite to eat.

She takes one look at me and says, "That makeup lasted well."

I think about bluffing but decide against it. "I had a little help from Maddy at lunchtime," I confess, "but I don't know what I would have done without your help this morning, thanks Jules.

"No pro bro," she says then giggles.

I make myself a ham sandwich and eat it while I change out of my school uniform and into the clothes I grab off the clean pile.

"Bye Jules," I call from the hallway.

"Hey Drew, wait up, where are you going?"

"I'm meeting the gang round at Ally's, a bit of homework and a bit of 'hanging out' too."

"Well don't be too late."

"Yes muum," I reply in jest then realise just what I've said.

I look round the door and apologise, Jules is looking off into space.

"It's okay Drew, I know you were trying to be funny, it would have been if it wasn't for..... It hurts doesn't it?"

I nod sadly and Jules pulls me into a hug, what we need is Mum or Dad to comfort us and make it better but Mum is the problem and Dad is hurting as much as us.

We hug for what seems like forever, I don't think either of us wants to let go and return to our mumless reality but we do eventually part. I meet Maddy on the corner.

"What's up Drew, you looked better when we left school."

I don't want to burden her but I find myself telling her my troubles anyway.

"It hurts Maddy. Almost everything reminds me of her - Mum."

"It's going to work out," she says taking my hand.

I don't think she understands what's happening but it helps when she doesn't let go and we walk all the way to Ally's place holding hands. We are the last of the gang to arrive, I expect some kind of inquisition but that doesn't happen. As I glance at Maddy I see her mouth 'later' but I pretend not to notice, I'm grateful not to go through that one again. Our homework gets done quickly, five heads are better than one, especially when it comes to remembering what we had discussed in English class.

Now the girls want to have a mini cheer practise, I say I'm not too keen and try to get out of it. I say Rhod and I can play on Ally's game console but Rhod actually wants to practise! I try to convince them they will be better off without me right now but they tell me it will help to take my mind off things. So there we are in Ally's back garden strutting our stuff, I guess I'm doing okay considering I'm wearing jeans. They did try to get me to change into something else but I wasn't having any of it. It takes Mrs Lacey sending us home to break the party up.

I get back home feeling quite tired. Dad decides to give us another of his pep talks, it doesn't help us feel better but if he feels like it helps that's fine. I go to my bed and I feel like I must have fallen asleep before my head hit the pillow but all of a sudden I feel awake. There is a bright dot in the centre of the room, shimmering and getting larger and larger.

"Be not afraid."

It is Mum's voice and gradually she appears in the middle of the ever expanding circle of light.

"I always wanted to say that," she says, "ever since I got to be a shepherd in the school nativity play when I had my heart set on being an angel."

"Is that really you?" I think.

"Yes Drew it really is me, your mother. It won't be long now, I'll be back soon. Please don't say anything to anyone, not your friends, not Maddy, not even Dad."

"What about Jules," I think.

"I've already visited her so you can talk to her about it, no one else though, it's safer that way, trust me."

"Safer?"

"I'll explain soon."

"Okay Mum."

The light fades and she disappears.

When I wake up everything is still fresh, it didn't feel much like a dream but there is something nagging at the back of my mind telling me none of this is real. Jules and I meet outside the bathroom again.

"You're looking better this morning Drew," she says.

"You too Jules," I reply then add, "We must be having better dreams."

"Must be," is all she says. I was hoping for a stronger reaction.

We don't get a chance to talk again before we leave for school so it will have to wait until later.

"Hiya Mad," I say cheerily as we meet outside her place.

"Who are you and what have you done with my boyfriend," she replies.

"I haven't been that bad have I?" I say and pout a little.

"Put that bottom lip away, I just meant this is the happiest I have seen you for a week or two."

I want to tell Maddy about what I saw last night, if it was a dream that would be fine but if by some strange quirk it really had been Mum last night I would break the promise I made. Jules and I definitely needed to talk. Maddy isn't the only one to make a comment about the way I am, a few of my teachers notice it too, including Mr Walker. He asks me if things are looking up. I answer honestly and tell him that I don't know but I am hoping. I'm halfway out of the door when he reminds me that his offer to listen still stands.

The gang had planned to meet outside the dining room but there is no sign of Rhod or Ally. When I ask Bernie she just shrugs and if Maddy does know something she is keeping it to himself. I do get to see them before the end of lunch but not with enough time to question them. There is no homework to do tonight but I ask Maddy to come over for dinner so I need to work on Jules straight away.

I get home and hear music, she's in her room so I rush up there and barge right in. Oops. I catch her as she's choosing which top to wear. She covers her bra up with one of them and kicks me out. Ten seconds later she is fully clad so she allows me back in.

"Okay, where's the fire?" she says.

"I need to talk to you about last night," I say.

"What about it?"

"Did you have a strange dream?"

"Huh?"

"Did you have anything unusual happen in your dream?" I continue.

"Look Drew, I'm not going to tell you about my dreams and get you to do some kind of Freud thing on it for school."

"It's not that."

"What then?"

I decide I have nothing left to lose. "Did you dream about Mum last night? Was she in the same room with you?"

"No," Jules says but I can see she is lying.

"So she didn't talk to you or say that everything will be okay, or that she will be back soon?"

Jules says nothing.

"I must have dreamt it, or I'm going mad, either way I'm sure it will give Maddy a laugh when I tell her."

"No," Jules says.

I turn around and she is looking down.

"You can't tell Maddy, yes it really did happen, Mum spoke to me too."

Some of the weight lifts off my shoulders. We both sit on the edge of Jules' bed leaning into each other for support.

"What do you think it means Jules?"

"I'm not sure Drew, is she coming back to stay or to take us away or what? I just don't know."

I was hoping that Jules would have the answers, I guess not.

"There has to be something important she's not telling or she would have just phoned us," Jules says.

"So what do we do?"

"We wait."

"Is that all?"

"Got any better suggestions Drew?"

"No, I guess not."

We are still sat there when the door goes, I answer it and it's no surprise when I see Maddy. I invite her in and we sit in the lounge, holding hands.

"You're very quiet," she says.

I nod and say, "It's been a while since it's been just the two of us, I miss it."

"Big softy," she says and gives me a big hug.

We sit there quietly for a few minutes then I ask, "What's up with Rhod and Ally?"

"Nothing," Mad says, "What's for tea?"

I'm not sure as it's Jules turn today. "I'll just go and find out," I say.

Jules is in the kitchen, looks like she's starting already.

"What's on today's menu?" I ask her.

"Toad in the hole with proper sausages, none of the cheap stuff."

That was one thing we had learned together from Mum, the difference was Jules has the confidence to try it where I don't think I could get the batter to rise.

"Looking forward to it."

I go back and tell Maddy then say, "Now where were we?"

Maddy grabs me and pulls me onto the sofa.

A few minutes later Jules walks through. "I don't know whether to use a crowbar or a bucket of water," she says, "or maybe tell you that Dad's home."

Well that works better than the first two possibilities, even though hugging was as far as we were ever going to go.

"Hi Dad."

"Hi Mr Bond."

"Drew, Maddy. Where's Jules?"

"She just went upstairs I think."

"I'll just go and change, does she need any help?"

"Everything is under control," I say.

The next time we see Dad is at the dinner table. With a guest here it's a talkative table, the way it used to be before Mum bailed on us. It feels strange but nice too. After dinner we play a board game but it feels a bit surreal so for the rest of the time Mad and I spend some time in my bedroom, she wants to make sure I'm looking after my Gaby stuff. Do I have a choice? Between them Maddy and Jules are pretty effective as my clothes police.

Maddy leaves us before it gets too late, Dad drops her back. It's like the air has been let out of the balloon with just the three of us here again. I go up to my room and read until it's bedtime. I get ready to go to sleep knowing that something will happen tonight, Jules lets herself into my room.

"You ready Drew?"

"Ready for what though?"

"I guess we will find out soon."

She leaves and I lie on my bed, why is it so difficult to get to sleep when you really want to?

It seems like forever. I know I must be asleep when I see the bright dot getting larger again. I glance to my right and Jules is next to me, she looks as surprised to see me as I am to see her. Before her figure is clear enough to recognise we hear her familiar voice.

"Hi kids."

"Hi Mum," we both think.

"I bet you're wondering why you're here together," she says.

We nod.

"Some things can only be said once," Mum says, "I need to leave this place soon."

"Why?" we think.

"They are onto me. It won't be long before they find out things they were never meant to know and once they do that none of us are safe."

"There's nothing Dad can do?" I think.

"Promise me not to say anything to your father, it will be painful enough for him anyway."

"I promise," Jules thinks.

Meanwhile I'm trying to work it all out.

"Drew?"

"I promise too."

"Good, now here's the hardest bit, it will be safer for you to come with me than to stay but it has to be your decision. Both of you need to give it careful thought then when I'm home on Sunday we can talk more. A few days after that I'll need to know. Be safe, say nothing, I'm sorry."

She flickers and fades.

I wake with things on my mind, this is too real for me, what am I to do? Jules and I trade glances at the breakfast table, she doesn't like it either. I put on a brave face for Maddy and the gang and manage to get through another day of school.

Back home Jules and I get our first chance to talk.

"What do you think you will do Jules?"

"I don't know Drew, I want to stay here where all my friends are but Mum says it wouldn't be safe."

"I know, I wonder what's so dangerous," I say, "do you think Mum has done something and is about to get caught?"

"Were you thinking drugs or blood doping? I don't think so."

"No, that's not Mum, then again who would have thought she would leave us and find someone else?"

"I guess she has been a bit unpredictable the last few months."

"Maybe she's gone mad."

"And you think our family is sane? I get your point, I suppose it could be."

"But if it is true and we really are in danger?"

"Then we've got no choice, but I want to find out what is so bad before I make my decision."

"Me too."

There is nothing more we can discuss so we try to act normally. It's my turn to make dinner today so I'm in the kitchen looking for inspiration. I find some pies in the fridge now all I have to do is find something to go with them in the cupboards. Towards the back of one I find a pack of instant mash, that'll do today. Normally I would enjoy bashing the life out of defenceless spuds but I want something quick and easy. Dad arrives and finds me in the kitchen, I tell him what I'm making.

"Pie and mash with lots of gravy, mmmm," he says.

How could I forget about the gravy? No time to do it properly so I resort to persuading an Oxo cube to dissolve in some boiling water. Everyone has to know that this isn't up to my usual standard (which isn't cordon bleu at the best of times but isn't bad) but no one says a word about it.

I'm dreading Dad asking me how things are, I'm convinced I will blurt out something about Mum, again nothing is mentioned. I'm glad when it's bedtime, apart from anything else I'm hoping Mum might visit me and tell me something new. I wake as normal in the morning with no memories of anything happening. School starts and I find it even harder to concentrate, at first break I find myself outside the science block in search of Mr Walker. I pick the room we normally use, knock and enter but there's no sign of him, just a lab technician.

"Can I help?"

"Is Mr Walker around?"

"Not yet but his next lesson is next door and he's usually in early to setup."

"Okay, I'll wait outside."

"No that's okay. Actually I could do with a hand, can you help me move the TV and video through?"

"Sure."

To do that I have to go into the technician's room, one of those places where getting a glance from the door is as far as most students go. Inside I see why, large bottles of concentrated acids on shelves, the stuff they use when thermometers break, safety equipment and all kinds of things that we won't get to use until GCSE time.

Mr Walker comes in as the technician is doing some checks.

"Sir."

"Hi Drew, what can I do for you?"

"Are you free at lunchtime to talk?"

He thinks for a minute then says, "Lunchtime works for me, meet me here and we'll find somewhere quiet."

"Thanks sir."

I find concentrating a little easier now and when the lunch bell rings I disappear out of class giving Maddy the slip and meet Mr W, he takes me to a small office that I never knew was there.

"So how can I help?"

"I'm not sure where to begin."

"Take your time."

So I have a think and tell him how life has been since that fateful phone call at the bonfire party. Then before I know it I say Mum wants to take us away! He thinks I'm just talking about the usual custody battle so I get away with it.

He says, "It's horrible to think this way Drew but you've got to choose one of them to live with and you can't do it to make them happy. When my parents split I left with my mother to keep her happy, I lost my friends and wasn't old enough to make my Dad understand so it took our relationship years to recover."

"So I've got to do what's right for me?"

"Yes."

"What if I'm not very good at that."

"Then you've got to learn very quickly or spend the rest of your life

dancing to somebody else's tune."

I spend a few minutes thinking then say, "Thanks sir I think it helps."

"I hope so Drew," he says, "if you need to talk more or just let off some steam come and see me."

I go and try to find the gang, no sign in the form room and there's a group of fifth formers in our usual spot in the library.

"Drew, over here."

That was Bernie's voice.

"Sshhhhhh."

I turned and spotted them in a different corner. Mad was there too and she wasn't looking happy.

"Where did you get to Drew?" she scowled.

"I took Mr Walker up on his offer to talk."

"Dubya? Why him and not me?"

"He's been through it already," I said, "anyway I don't want to keep bringing you down telling you my problems."

Maddy seems like she accepts that.

I'm glad to get to the weekend even if I have still got a lot of thinking to do. Saturday comes and brings snow with it, not perfect conditions for my cross race but I'll live. I do concentrate for it but I only manage fifth - stupid stick.

Sunday is the day when Mum comes home. I've not mentioned anything to Dad but Jules and I are on tenterhooks. We sit there waiting.

"Are you expecting someone?" Dad says.

"I wasn't sure if Anna was dropping by," a flustered Jules says.

"And I thought Maddy might call," I add.

Finally the phone rings and it's her!

When I get my turn my disappointment shows.

"Where are you?"

"Not far but I can't see you today after all."

"What about..."

"Don't say anymore, just listen."

So I stand there and listen as Mum tells me things that blow my mind! When Dad asks, Jules and I tell him that Mum wants to see us later in the week, what we discuss upstairs is completely different.

"I can't believe it," I say.

"I know," Jules replies in the same state of shock as me.

"No one would believe us if we do tell them."

"It explains some things though," says Jules.

"Like?"

"Like how you and Mum are so good on the bikes and I do so well on the badminton court."

"At least you have stayed out of the limelight; I'll be under a microscope."

"Precisely."

"Precisely what?" I ask.

"I've not had my exploits appear in the news so I should be safe to stay."

"You're definitely not going?"

"No, I've got too much to lose by going. You and Mum have got too much to lose by staying, especially as they can get to you through us."

I don't like the sound of that but Jules is right, me staying meant danger for everyone, especially Maddy. It's all too much for me, I curl up on my bed and sob. I hear Dad asking if I'm okay and Jules telling him it was the phone call that did it but that's the last thing I remember.

I have high hopes for Monday, I want it to be a normal day with no shocks or surprises, just average. It starts off normal enough, school is okay, Mr Walker checks up on me but I'm fine. The afternoon drags and as soon as the last bell rings everyone rushes for the gates. We meet up at Rhod's and all is well until I realise that Rhod's change of outfit isn't quite what I expected.

"What's up with the getup?"

"I've decided I like being a girl."

"You what?"

"I like it; I'm on hormones and everything."

"How did I miss that?"

"Well what with your Mum and everything."

At the mention of my Mum everything I had pushed to the back of my mind comes charging forward. Today is not normal. I can't stay in denial, my lifewill never be the same, this shouldn't be happening to me. I shut down, I hear Rhod's voice getting angry at my lack of response but I do nothing. I can hear Maddy calling my name, I want to reply but no sound comes out. I hear Sylv calling my Dad and tell him I'm in a catatonic state and he should come right away. The numbness is replaced by fear, deep down something tells me Dad can't find me like this.

It's like I'm not in my own body anymore, I'm an observer watching someone else get up off the floor and run to the door, my friends call to him but he ignores them. Out of the house, down the path, through the gate, crossing the road, now black! In the blackness I see a glittery speck. More appear, soon the place is full of them like snowflakes suspended in mid-air. I can't be dead, I haven't walked toward a bright light. These glittery things are really pretty, I can't take my eyes off them. They start to fade, don't go, I don't want you to go, then it's black again. Now I hear voices, I think they are voices but I can't tell what they are saying yet. It gets less mumbly and eventually I hear "Doctor, I think he's coming round."

"Muuum?" I ask groggily.

"It's me, Maddy," she says.

"I'm here too," Jules adds, "and Dad just went to get a drink."

"What happened?" I ask.

"You got knocked down crossing the road, lucky for you it was just a glancing blow they said."

"How long have I....?"

"Forty eight hours."

Wow, does that mean the stuff with Mum was a dream?

"You scared us all, especially Rhod," Mad said then whispered, "or should I say Mfanwy."

The muddle in my head slowly clears, if the Mfanwy chat was real then it really wasn't a dream!

"Dad he's awake," says Jules.

"How are you feeling son?"

"I hurt all over, especially my side," I reply.

"You'll have a mark in the shape of a wing mirror when you get out," Dad

says.

I try and move to check it out but the pain stops me.

"Take it easy, you don't want to be here any longer than you have to."

"I suppose not, when can I go home?"

"They want to keep you under observation but you could be out as soon as tomorrow afternoon."

Can't be soon enough for me, I think. Mad and Jules hang around until dinner time when Dad takes them to Aunt Carol to eat. He comes straight back and sits next to me as I finish my own meal.

"How much do you remember?" he asks.

"Not much," I reply.

I really don't remember too much, I didn't see what hit me, I don't know what made me run but I know it wasn't Rhod. Dad stays with me until the nurse sends him home, it's late but no clock is in sight so I don't know how late. I drift off to sleep but it seems as soon as I do a nurse wakes me to check my temperature and other things. I try to get to sleep again, I think I manage a little sleep before I'm woken again, more checks - this is getting silly. I fall asleep again and get woken a third time, I'm about to complain but the nurse says, "shhh," and something makes me listen.

"Drew, it's me, Mum. We've got to get out of here now."

"Why?" I whisper.

"While you were out of it they've done tests, not normal tests, special tests and when the results come back they will want to do many more."

I don't like the sound of that.

"Are you okay to move?"

"Yes, not quickly or quietly though."

"Here, drink this." She hands me a small phial so I take a swig.

It tastes disgusting and I feel a burning in my stomach like I did the Christmas when an aunt gave me a sip of her brandy. The pain fades, I can't feel my side hurting either!

Mum helps me out of bed and through a fire exit to a waiting car.

"Is it yours?" I ask.

"Rental," is Mum's reply.

"Where are we going?"

"Away."

"What about Jules, Dad, Maddy?"

"We'll take care of that later."

We drive into the country, Mum is a good driver, it surprises me when we leave the road, crash through a gate and slam into a tree hard enough for the airbags to go off. I'm only shaken, Mum is fine.

"What happened?"

"All part of the plan Drew."

The next moment I'm looking down on the car, Mum is by my side and we are both rising but there is nothing below us! Mum senses my panic, "Steady Drew, we're okay, you can't see it but trust me it's solid enough."

We start moving forward as well as up, I expect to feel the wind or something but I can't feel it at all.

"Where are we going?"

"I've already visited your father and Jules, they will know that we are safe and still love them so that just leaves your friends."

I hear an explosion behind us, I look back and the car is now a ball of flame.

"Everyone will think we are dead now," Mum says.

"Even when they find no bodies?" I say.

"There were bodies in there, clones of us."

"Wow, this really is serious."

"Yes Drew, other people's lives are at stake, this isn't a game."

"I wont see Maddy again will I? Can we go there first?"

Mum puts her arm around me and points straight ahead. As we get much closer I realise where we are, Maddy's place.

"How do I get in?"

"You tell her the same way I spoke to you and Jules."

"We can do that?"

Being on the sending end is just as strange as being on the receiving end, I wait for the connection to get to a stage where she can hear me then have to break the news.

"Maddy, it's me, Drew."

"That's really you?" I hear in my mind.

"It's me alright. I don't know how to tell you this but..... I've.... got to go, I don't want to but it's not safe for me to stay."

"No Drew you can't."

"I have to, it won't be safe for you either if I stay."

"When will you be back?"

"I don't know."

We both know I probably won't be back but I'm not ready to say it and she's not ready to hear it.

"We need to move on," Mum says.

"Maddy, whatever you hear about me and Mum just remember I love you, I'll never forget you."

"I love you too Drew."

"Bye Mad," I manage before breaking down.

"Bye Drew," Maddy is just as distressed.

She fades and Mum gives me a big hug.

"I've made sure that she won't forget you Drew."

"How so?"

"Well when Maddy wants to have kids her first born will be yours."

"Huh?"

"Don't ask me to explain, I know I couldn't so just accept it. Where next?"

We drift across the sky to the Morgan's house where I repeat the process with Rhod; I tell him the accident wasn't his fault and thank him for being my mate.

"Have we left any more little surprises," I ask Mum when we're done there.

"Well whether Rhod stays as Rhod or becomes Mfanwy he or she will have the right equipment for her chosen gender."

"Don't tell me I'm going to be a dad again there?"

"We can go back if you really want to."

"Nooo thanks."

Ally and Bernie are the others on the list, I dare not ask if they get any special gifts.

We are now going upwards again, faster and faster. Why aren't I feeling the g-forces?

"Drew, we are now officially in space."

The view is spectacular, everything I expected but I don't get long to enjoy it, we transfer to the mothership and leave the planet of my birth behind.

Pinkie 14.09.05 © 2005
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